Author Notes
Bhutanese red rice is grown in the Paro Valley of Bhutan at elevations of 8000 feet. It is a beautiful russet color with a flavor that reminds me of tea. It is whole grain, high in fiber, and a good source of potassium and magnesium. I have combined this rice with coconut milk, fresh ginger, lemongrass, and pandan leaf to make an exotically flavored rice pudding. (Note: the photo doesn't do this justice - it's actually a lovely pink color.) - hardlikearmour —hardlikearmour
Test Kitchen Notes
Aptly named, one bite of hardlikearmour’s Shangri-La Pudding, transports you to another world. Fragrant coconut, fresh ginger and lemongrass gently bubble away with rich and nutty Bhutanese red rice to create a beautiful pink-hued rice pudding that is sweet up front, with spicy (ginger) and floral citrus (lemongrass) notes that linger on the palate. Although hardlikearmour suggests enjoying this at room temperature or chilled, I preferred it warm, still steaming. To me, it felt like a luxurious bowl of comfort, one that I could not stop eating. - gingerroot —gingerroot
Ingredients
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2 cups
water
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1
stalk lemongrass, cut into 2 or 3 pieces (to fit in 3-qt sauce pan)
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6
1/8-inch thick & 1-inch diameter ginger "coins"
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3
Pandan leaves, each tied into an overhand knot (optional ingredient)
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1/4 teaspoon
salt
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1 cup
Bhutanese Red Rice
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1
can coconut milk
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3 cups
whole milk
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2/3 cup
sugar
Directions
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Combine water, lemon grass, ginger, pandan leaf, and salt in 3-quart saucepan. Bring to boil over high heat, then add rice. Once rice starts to simmer, reduce heat to low and cover. Cook until most of the water has absorbed, about 15 to 20 minutes.
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Add coconut milk, whole milk, and sugar. Raise heat to medium-high until mixture starts to simmer. Reduce heat to maintain simmer. Cook until thickened and creamy, about 45 to 50 minutes. Stir mixture occasionally at first, and more frequently as it starts to thicken to prevent scorching.
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Remove from heat. Once mixture has cooled a bit remove lemongrass, ginger, and pandan leaves. Transfer to bowl, and cover with plastic wrap. Cool to room temperature before serving or refrigerate and serve cold.
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Note: Pandan leaves can be found frozen at well-stocked Asian markets. It is commonly used in Southeast Asian cuisine, and has a nutty, grassy flavor often used to flavor rice dishes.
I am an amateur baker and cake decorator. I enjoy cooking, as well as eating and feeding others. I live in the beautiful Pacific Northwest with my husband and our menagerie. I enjoy outdoor activities including hiking, mushroom hunting, tide pooling, beach combing, and snowboarding.
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